HK1202693B - System and method for tracking lost subjects - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring and tracking the position of a subject comprises, in an exemplary embodiment, a transponder configured for being co-located with the subject and a means for enabling communication between the transponder and a remote GPS-enabled receiver, such as a cell phone or the like, for selectively triangulating the position of the transponder. In the exemplary embodiment, the means for enabling such communication is software that is installed in and executed by the receiver. The software allows the receiver to triangulate the geographic position of the transponder by fixing a first reference point based on the location of the GPS-enabled receiver, fixing a second reference point based on the location of a network broadcast site through which the receiver and transponder communicate, and calculating the location of the transponder based on the angular position of the transponder relative to the network broadcast site.

Description

System and method for tracking lost objects

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and on the date of filing of U.S. non-provisional application serial No.13/326,764 entitled "system and method for tracking lost objects" filed 2011, 12, 15. The contents of the above application are incorporated herein by reference.

Incorporated by reference

The applicant hereby incorporates by reference any and all U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications cited or referenced in this application.

Technical Field

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to tracking systems and related methods, and more particularly to a system and method for tracking lost objects using GPS triangulation techniques.

Background

By way of background, children, mentally deficient adults, and pet animals may easily become lost from their intended location because of disorientation, distraction, theft, or kidnapping. Parents and guardians are now more concerned about kidnapping and increased misbehaviour in children than ever before. Misbehaviour can occur anywhere including home parks and forests, schools, public malls, etc. Adults or persons with mental disorders (e.g., alzheimer's), or other mentally handicapped persons, may not be able to understand the boundary limits and risk losing without proper supervision. Cats and dogs may also be lost or stolen and cannot find their way back to their homes. With the increased interest in theft, kidnapping, misbehaviour and mental disabilities, violations or injuries, there is a need for a tracking system and alarm mechanism that includes a convenient transponder and a readily available, portable, convenient and easy-to-use receiver. Such techniques may also have beneficial use in military applications and other such environments where it is desirable to quickly and easily determine the location of a person or device.

The following techniques illustrate the current state of the art:

U.S. patent 5,914,675 to Tognazzini discloses a portable emergency positioning device that includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that generates position data and a radiotelephone transceiver for communicating the position data as digital data to a call station via a radiotelephone network (cellular, PCS, or satellite) during a two-way voice conversation. The emergency locator device may be implemented as a conventional wireless telephone having an interface for receiving location data from an external GPS receiver and vehicle status data from an external vehicle control system. Data received from the interface is stored in an internal memory for transmission to the call station in response to a trigger of an emergency event.

United states patent 6,014,080 to Layson, Jr discloses an anti-taper wearable tracking device worn by an victim or potential criminal for use in a wireless communication system that receives signals from a Global Positioning System (GPS). The tracking device directly transmits the spatial coordinates to a plurality of remote sites. The tracking device is a closed box worn on a person's limb. The box includes a battery, signaling equipment, and a circuit board containing a field programmable gate array, a wireless data modem, a conventional GPS receiver, and a matched filtered GPS receiver.

U.S. patent 6,339,397 to Baker discloses a portable, self-contained tracking unit that includes a housing attached to a mounting plate with a hollow interior chamber containing a GPS receiver, microprocessor and transmitter. The GPS receiver will receive the tracking data, which the microprocessor processes into data packets. The transmitter transmits the data packets to a remote receiving station for transmission to a central database. A photovoltaic cell is mounted on the housing to recharge the battery, which provides power to the electronic components of the tracking unit. The housing is designed with a pair of vertically oriented side plates that are oriented substantially vertically so that a solar panel mounted on the side plates will maintain a good solar angle of incidence over a wide range of orientations. The transmitter is a cellular telephone having an antenna mounted within the housing but spaced from the metal mounting plate and electrical components by a distance of about a quarter wavelength of the operating frequency of the transmitter. The housing is formed of radio frequency and optically transparent material such that the antenna and solar panel may be disposed within the hollow interior cavity of the housing. In the method of the invention, the tracking data is periodically sent via the cellular telephone to the cellular service provider, thereby reaching a data service bureau which sends the data over the internet to a database of a central server computer. The central server computer will decode the information and provide the customer with an interface and value added products, such as maps and reports, via web pages on the internet.

United states patent 6,819,258 to Brown discloses a system for tracking a person by a system user who fixes a location unit to the person to be tracked, wherein the location unit calculates the location of the person at any given time. The system includes a network host connected to a wide area network, such as the internet, that includes a computer-readable medium and is accessible by a user from a remote computer terminal. A computer program resides on a network host for receiving tracking requests from users and transmitting tracking calls to location units carried by the person. The computer program includes instructions embodied in computer readable code for automatically transmitting a tracking call, receiving positioning data from a location unit in response to the tracking call, and transmitting the location data to a user terminal displaying a current location of the person.

U.S. patent application No.2005/0017900 to Grimm discloses a tracking unit for assisting in the recovery of stolen money or other property that includes a housing containing a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from an airborne satellite, a cellular telephone transceiver, a microprocessor and a battery. After theft, the microprocessor activates the cellular telephone transceiver to dial the telephone number of the central monitoring station. The microprocessor obtains the location data from the GPS receiver and transmits the location data to the central monitoring station along with the authentication information. The tracking unit also includes a separate conventional radio frequency beacon transmitter for allowing authorities to aim the tracking unit within a large building or other structure, either after loss of GPS signals or after the location of the tracking unit is located in a particular building or area.

U.S. patent application No.2005/0020274 to Ursinid discloses a small and portable child positioning device. It has more covert, placement and configuration applications. It can be disguised on the child's wrist as a bracelet, pendant, watch, ankle bracelet, pocket article, can be attached to clothing, worn in the hair, or in or on shoes. The device is activated via the internet and/or dialing software. The GPS software then tracks at many locations. The location includes home, office, car, or on foot. The system is deployed and tracked from a variety of devices, laptops, personal computers, or handheld computers. It combines hardware, GPS software, telephone lines, cellular and internet into a complete child locator.

Chang, U.S. patent No.2006/0170588, discloses a tracking method for a cellular telephone having a location device and a system therefor. Latitude and longitude coordinates of a tracking end in a Global Positioning System (GPS) are sent to a cellular motor of the tracking end via a Short Message Service (SMS). After decoding the content of the short message, the longitude and latitude coordinates are displayed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) installed in the cellular phone.

U.S. patent No.2006/0176216 to Hipskind discloses an apparatus and method for tracking objects. The apparatus and method provide GPS tracking and may include a communication system that communicates the location of the object to a central database. The software can track the object and provide updates about location, velocity, process, and other items of interest.

U.S. patent application No.2006/0223518 to Haney discloses a system for exchanging GPS or other location data between wireless devices for the purposes of group activity, monitoring of child locations, work group coordination, dispatching employees, and the like. Cellular telephones and other wireless devices having GPS receivers have loaded them with partner monitoring applications and call control applications. The buddy monitoring application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices that are operated by the buddy as part of the buddy group or separately registered in the user's phone. GPS location data and historical GPS location data may be exchanged between the partner and the cell phone of the instant partner (e.g., trailer driver) via the partner monitoring server. Once the individual does not respond, the programmable person may be notified to set up the emergency monitoring service. The position and trajectory may be displayed. The talk control application simplifies and automates the process of joining a talk group for walkie-talkie services, such as that provided by Nexel.

U.S. patent publication No.2007/0099626 to Lawrence et al discloses a system and method for determining and communicating the precise location of an individual and/or a motor vehicle in real time. For example, a tracking system is disclosed that includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a cellular telephone, and a processing unit. The GPS receiver, cellular telephone and processing unit are arranged as a single, compact tracking unit. The processing unit receives location information (e.g., latitude and longitude) from the GPS receiver that is accurate by the tracking unit. A cellular telephone capable of receiving text messages (e.g., and/or voice messages) may be used to call the tracking unit's cellular telephone, which responds by transmitting a text message (e.g., or synthesized voice message) that includes the tracking unit's precise coordinates. Thus, the system is able to provide the exact location of an individual and/or a motor vehicle to another at any point in time, whether the individual carrying the tracking unit or driving the motor vehicle containing the tracking unit is known or unknown.

U.S. patent nos. 6,788,200, RE40,879, RE41,087, RE41,102 and RE41,122 to Jamel et al relate to a locator unit incorporated in footwear providing a method for GPS position determination and transmission of the position determination data to a central monitoring station that disseminates the data through the use of proprietary software, wireless communications, land-based wired systems and the internet.

The above prior art teaches various types of tracking devices, each of which provides a GPS receiver built into the tracking device itself. However, the prior art does not teach a GPS equipped receiver (e.g., a cellular telephone, etc.), a transponder that is positioned with the object to be tracked, and at least one satellite/tower triangulation tracking system or method to locate the transponder based on or relative to the coordinates of the GPS receiver. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the summary below.

Disclosure of Invention

Aspects of the present invention teach certain benefits inherent in construction and use that result in the exemplary advantages described below.

The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing a system and method for tracking lost objects. In general, transponders are configured to transmit and receive signals to and from a receiver, such as a cellular telephone, a computer, a portable electronic or computing device, or other wireless communication device on a typical wireless network. In use, proprietary software is installed in the receiver which can then be used to synchronize the receiver with the transponder. Then, when it is desired to determine the position of the transponder and thus of the object being tracked and located with the transponder (for example when the child is separate from his/her parent or has been abducted), the precise position of the transponder can be determined based on triangulation between the receiver, the transponder and the satellite or broadcast tower, and knowing the position of the receiver based on the GPS work inherent to the receiver, which information can then be displayed on the receiver.

1) The present invention provides a method for monitoring and tracking the position of an object, the method comprising: installing software in a GPS-enabled receiver for communicating with a transponder, the transponder being co-located with the object; and triangulating the geographic location of the transponder by: fixing a first reference point based on a location of the GPS enabled receiver; fixing a second reference point based on a location of a webcast site through which the receiver and the transponder communicate; and calculating the position of the transponder based on the angular position of the transponder relative to the webcast site; thereby, the position of the transponder and thus the object being monitored and tracked can be determined without having to configure the transponder with GPS functionality.

2) The method of 1), further comprising configuring the transponder as a standalone device that is capable of being carried on or by the object.

3) The method of claim 1), further comprising embedding the transponder within an article worn by the subject.

4) The method of 1), further comprising the steps of: storing the unique transponder code in the receiver; and synchronizing the transponder with the receiver based on the unique transponder code.

5) The method of 4), the receiver configured to store a plurality of transponder codes to synchronize with and monitor and track a plurality of transponders with a single receiver.

6) The method of claim 4), said step of storing a unique transponder code in the receiver comprising the further steps of: the transponder code is manually entered into the receiver.

7) The method of claim 4), the steps of storing the unique transponder code in the receiver and synchronizing the transponder with the receiver comprising the further steps of: the transponder code is automatically obtained from the transponder in a pairing sequence between the receiver and the transponder.

8) The method of claim 4), comprising the further steps of: the transponder is selectively remotely activated.

9) The method of claim 8), said step of selectively remotely activating a transponder comprising the further steps of: the transponder code is entered into the receiver.

10) The method of claim 8), said step of selectively remotely activating a transponder comprising the further steps of: inputting the specified perimeter boundary into the receiver as a maximum allowable distance of the transponder away from the receiver; and automatically activating the transponder when the transponder exceeds a prescribed perimeter boundary.

11) The method of claim 10), said step of automatically activating a transponder further comprising the steps of: comparing the distance of the transponder from the receiver to a prescribed perimeter boundary; and if the transponder exceeds a prescribed perimeter boundary, appropriately notifying a user of the receiver.

12) The method of claim 1), comprising the further steps of: the distance and direction of the transponder away from the receiver is displayed on the receiver in order to guide the user in the direction of the transponder.

13) The method of claim 1), comprising the further steps of: displaying data on the receiver corresponding to the location of the transponder illustrated on the map.

14) The method of claim 1), comprising the further steps of: the navigational coordinates or directions of the transponder relative to the receiver are displayed on the receiver.

15) The method of claim 1), comprising the further steps of: each sequence of communications between the receiver and the transponder is recorded to create a record of the actual coordinates of the transponder at a given point in time and thereby a record of the motion of the transponder and hence the object being tracked.

16) The method of 1), further comprising the steps of: the network tracking sequence is selectively activated by transmitting the transponder code to other subscribing receivers.

17) The method of claim 16), said step of selectively activating a network tracking sequence further comprising the steps of: the network tracking sequence is selected by the other subscribing receivers.

18) The method of claim 17), the step of selecting a network trace sequence occurring once at software installation.

19) The method of 17), the step of selecting a tracenetwork sequence may occur each time the tracenetwork sequence is activated.

20) The present invention also provides a method for monitoring and tracking the position of an object, the method comprising configuring software for installation in a GPS-enabled receiver to communicate with a remote transponder, the remote transponder being co-located with the object, and triangulating the geographic location of the transponder by fixing a first reference point based on the location of the GPS enabled receiver, fixing a second reference point based on the location of a webcast site through which the receiver and the transponder communicate, and calculating the location of the transponder based on the angular position of the transponder relative to the webcast site, thereby, the position of the transponder and thus the position of the object being monitored and tracked can be determined without having to configure the transponder with GPS functionality.

21) The method of 20), the software further configured to display data on the receiver corresponding to the location of the transponder illustrated on the map.

22) The method of 20), wherein the software is further configured to record a plurality of data sets corresponding to said position of the transponder over time, thereby creating a record of the actual coordinates of the transponder at a given point in time, and thereby creating a record of the movement of the transponder and hence of the object being tracked.

23) The present invention provides a system for monitoring and tracking the position of an object, the system comprising: a transponder configured to be co-located with the object; and means for enabling communication between the transponder and a remote GPS-enabled receiver for selectively triangulating the location of the transponder by: fixing a first reference point based on a position of the receiver; fixing a second reference point based on a location of a webcast site through which the receiver and the transponder communicate; and calculating the position of the transponder based on the angular position of the transponder relative to the webcast site; thereby, the position of the transponder and thus the position of the object being monitored and tracked can be determined without configuring the transponder to be GPS-enabled.

A primary purpose inherent in the above-described system and method of use is to provide advantages not taught by the prior art.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system which utilizes triangulation between a GPS-equipped receiver (e.g., a cellular telephone or the like), a transponder, and at least one satellite/tower to locate the transponder based on or relative to the coordinates of the GPS receiver.

Another object is to provide such a system which does not require the transponder itself to have GPS functionality, thereby reducing its size, reducing its power requirements and reducing its cost.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system which is adaptable to a wide variety of cellular telephones, computers, portable electronic or computing devices, and similar receivers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system that allows for a variety of user interfaces or software applications depending on user selection and receiver type.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system that allows a single receiver to monitor and track a single transponder, a single receiver to monitor and track multiple transponders, multiple receivers to monitor and track a single transponder, or multiple receivers to monitor and track multiple transponders.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a system wherein the one or more receivers are synchronized with the one or more transponders or the one or more receivers have access to the one or more transponders through a secure connection for monitoring or tracking purposes.

Other features and advantages of various aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of various aspects of the invention.

Drawings

The drawings illustrate aspects of the invention. In such drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The above-described drawing figures illustrate aspects of the invention in at least one of its exemplary embodiments, which are further defined in detail in the following description. Features, elements, and aspects of the invention that are referenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects in accordance with one or more embodiments.

Detailed Description

The foregoing drawings illustrate various aspects of the present invention in at least one of its exemplary embodiments, which are further defined in the following description.

Turning next to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1, a system and method for monitoring and tracking the location of objects, such as children, pets, or other items of value, is disclosed. The system preferably includes a transponder 10 and a GPS-enabled receiver 50.

In an exemplary embodiment, the transponder 10 is embedded in an article (not shown) configured to be worn by a subject. When the object is a child, the article may be such an article as a shoe, a clip, a pin, a button, a chain, a pant, a shirt, or the like. When the individual is a pet, the article may be a collar or any other type of pet accessory. Thus, the article itself may be any conceivable item that may be "worn" by a person, pet, or other item of value, now known or later developed, so long as the item allows the transponder 10 to be embedded in, carried with, or securely affixed to the item. In an alternative embodiment, the transponder 10 is directly fixed to the object. In yet another alternative embodiment, transponder 10 is configured as a stand-alone device that may simply be placed in a pocket, purse, bag, or other item to be worn, carried, or otherwise co-located with the tracked object. Of course, the invention may itself be a purse, bag or other item, rather than a person or pet, as may be the case, for example, with luggage or packaging to be tracked. It should be understood that the transponder may take a variety of physical forms and attendant sizes and shapes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Preferably, the transponder 10 in any form is relatively small, whether to be embedded or incorporated into some item to be worn (for both functional and aesthetic reasons), or enclosed in a case as a separate device to be carried in a pocket, purse, or the like, and thus the case is preferably, although not necessarily, the size of a lipstick or flossing implement.

The GPS-enabled receiver 50 is preferably a now known or later developed cellular telephone, smart phone or other such wireless communication device held by a user (not shown), such as a parent, infant care provider or other guardian. In alternative embodiments, the receiver 50 may be a now known or later developed PDA with GPS functionality, a tablet computing device, a personal computer, a laptop or desktop computer, or any other electronic device. After the necessary software is installed onto the receiver 50 (e.g., a mobile phone application), the receiver 50 is synchronized with the transponder 10 and is configured to monitor and track the position of the transponder 10, and thus the object, as discussed further below.

In the exemplary embodiment, receiver 50 is integrated with cellular telephone technology that enables a user, among other things, to program a specific and unique response code that allows receiver 50 to synchronize with transponder 10 and communicate with that particular transponder 10. Alternatively, during a pairing sequence or routine, a unique transponder code is automatically acquired and stored in the receiver 50, the unique transponder code being associated with each transponder 10 to which the receiver 50 is to be synchronized.

With the receiver 50 and transponder 10 synchronized, the user can effectively remotely activate the system by entering a unique transponder code into the synchronized receiver 50, such as when the object cannot be located or is merely curious of the current whereabouts of the object. The receiver 50 then sends out a signal to be received by the transponder 10, and the transponder 10 then sends a reply message back to the receiver 50. Alternatively, when the transponder 10 exceeds a prescribed perimeter boundaryIn this regard, the receiver 50 is capable of automatically monitoring and tracking the object, if desired. In this case, the receiver 50 alerts its holder, i.e., the user, of the compromise in safe distance, digitally determines the distance in feet or meters or other units of measurement, and directs the user in the direction of the transponder 10 using directional seek arrows, much like a compass. The receiver 50 is capable of displaying or audibly informing the transponder 10 of the distance and direction of the distancing and triangulating the unit quadrant (e.g., GPS). Once in that quadrant, receiver 50 may give more specific signaling using, but not limited to, the compass arrows and distances described above. In another embodiment, the data corresponding to the transponder's location is presented graphically, such as by having software installed on the receiver 50 as opposed to on a map, the receiver 50 being configured to be a proprietary mapping software application or a third party application, such asOrMap interaction (interface). In this way, the receiver 50 is able to locate or graphically display the position of the transponder 10 and thereby display the object on the map. In further alternative embodiments, the navigational coordinates or directions of the transponder 10 relative to the receiver 50 may be presented on a display of the receiver 50 or displayed by some other method now known or later developed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that one or more of such display methods, or any other method now known or later developed, or any combination thereof, may be used in combination with the present invention.

The receiver 50 may also optionally activate a network tracking sequence by transmitting the transponder code associated with the missing or "out of range" transponder 10 to other "subscribed" receivers 90, such as by text message or the like. It will thus be appreciated that a single transponder 10 may be tracked by multiple receivers 50, 90 in accordance with aspects of the present invention and as further explained below.

The receiver 50 is also preferably capable of storing in the pre-existing memory of the receiver 50 important information about the subject, including but not limited to physical characteristics of the target, digital photographs, and in the case where the subject is a person, the age, weight, gender, hair and/or eye color of the subject, last-worn apparel, shoe type, model size, and any other uniquely defined characteristics, in association with the corresponding transponder code. It will thus be appreciated that the receiver 50 will not only be able to be used as a tracking device, but will incorporate technology to communicate the same information and tracking code from the host receiver 50 to other subscribing receivers 90 wirelessly or via bluetooth technology or other now known or later developed wireless communication protocols, thus creating a unique mechanism for multiple tracking functions of the associated transponder 10. That is, as in the exemplary embodiment, relevant information is quickly communicated to other receivers 90, enabling a large number of people to be notified at the same time, rather than (or in addition to) by sending all of them an email. For example, if a child is lost at an amusement park, the user may click and broadcast alerts from the host receiver 50 to many receivers 90, even those receivers 90 that the user is not aware of, without the lengthy and arduous task of sending information to email. Other mediums of mass communication now known or later developed may also be used, including social networking websites, for exampleAnddepending on the circumstances.

In accordance with law enforcement intervention and coordination with cellular telephone service, or networks, etc., an "amber alert" message 92 or other emergency "911" message 94, as shown in fig. 1, may be broadcast over wave, cellular, or other bands to a prescribed place, region, county, state, or other level of place, thereby alerting the appropriate regulatory agency or other subscription receiver 90 to the missing person or other emergency. Once the user has accepted the alert, the pre-stored vital information and unique transponder code of the transponder 10 may be broadcast back to the subscribing receiver 90 on the cellular or other network for further action as necessary. To ensure that the system is not cumbersome or overloaded, only the subscription receivers 90 in a defined area, or more specifically functions within the range of the transponder 10, may be activated. With this "temporarily composed search and rescue team (pos)" feature, then, for example, if a child is lost in los Angeles and parents or other family and friends believe that the abductor may live in Voltslot and be driving to that, people can signal the Voltslot's people on a large scale and they can choose to see or not see if the child's coordinates, as determined by triangulation, are within their premises. In another embodiment, such "selection" by the third party subscription receiver 90 may be implemented more generally at the time of subscription or activation, rather than in response to a particular notification. In either case, this "amber alert" option may allow hundreds of "casually composed search and rescue teams" to advocate missing children's appearance. Further, it will enable relevant information to be transmitted to a local police department, federal survey, or other agency.

Relatedly, another aspect of the present invention implemented through synchronization and communication between one or more receivers 50, 90 and one or more transponders 10, and in particular software installed on receivers 50, 90, effectively creates bitwise tracking in relation to the time-varying position of the tracked one or more transponders 10. It will be appreciated that the actual coordinates of the transponder 10 at a given point in time may be determined with each communication sequence between the receiver 50, 90 and the transponder 10. By simply configuring the receiver software to capture and record those data sets on the receiver 50, or some other central network device or computer, a record of the movement of the transponder 10, and thus the tracked object, can be created. Such records and underlying data may then be presented in text, such as in a chart, a graphic, or in any other such format, and provided to the user or any other authorized party for purposes including review/audit to investigate criminal activity. It will be appreciated that such chronological positions, as may be developed in accordance with aspects of the present invention, will teach a very clear and helpful story about object movements that are known from the location log of the associated transponder 10. For example, in the case of a criminal activity being investigated by law enforcement, a cctv camera or witness may be consulted by recording the time and location of the transponder 10 (object) at a number of points, and then will know the desire to acquire a description or image of a person, vehicle, etc. (which may further assist in locating the object, e.g., a person being abducted).

It should be further appreciated that, particularly in the context of multiple subscribing receivers 90 having access to the transponder 10 for monitoring and tracking purposes, as noted above, it is desirable for these systems to have built-in security features and security precautions to prevent hackers or other abuses from inadvertently making available systems and information thereby. That is, through the propagation of the unique transponder code and its control, only those receivers that are in fact authorized to synchronize or communicate with a particular transponder 10 and thus track a particular transponder 10 are able to do so. It is to be understood that other wireless communication protocols, hardware and related security measures, now known or later developed, may be employed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Likewise, the shape of the transponder 10 may be in or incorporated into a variety of convenient forms, including but not limited to straps, clips, pins, wristbands, necklaces, chains, and clothing elements, such as shoes, for comfortable, discrete wearing by a subject. By further illustrating aspects of the invention, electronic fabrics or sewn-in uniforms, helmets, etc. may be employed for tracking purposes, wherein the triangulation method and the related system of the invention may also be used for military accountability and field monitoring of the work force. This would allow the central command department to see the location of all of the army personnel in the geographic area for attack power manipulation, etc. Thus, in such alternative embodiments, it should be understood that one or more of the receivers 50, 90 may be configured to track multiple transponders 10, enabling multiple tracking options. In the parent's particular environment, multiple transponder codes may be entered into the parent's cell phone or other device that correspond and synchronize with transponders that are co-located or associated with each of the parent's children. Likewise, the ability of a single receiver 50 to monitor and track multiple transponders 10 in this manner, and the achievement by and benefit of aspects of the present invention. In a typical embodiment, any such clothing element, such as for example a child's shoe or a military uniform, will include an electronic built-in transponder 10, which electronic built-in transponder 10 will indicate the location of the object when programmed. Further, continuing with the parent and child example, if each child has multiple pairs of shoes or other articles of clothing or the like equipped with embedded transponders 10 or non-removable transponders 10, the parent needs to store in his or her receiver 50 a plurality of transponder codes associated with these shoes or each child, whereby upon initiating an activation sequence, such as when one of the children is lost, the receiver 50 will "ping" each such transponder 10 that has been previously synchronized with the receiver 50. When all but one of the activated transponders 10 are within a known safe distance of a safe location or boundary, the one that is not within the safe distance of the safe location or boundary and is therefore most likely to be associated with a lost child is quickly and easily determined and tracked in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In the case of a military unit commander, the corresponding receiver 50 can store hundreds or more unique transponder codes so that the commander can track, for example, the personnel and assets of the entire unit. In still further embodiments, the transponder 10 may be used to track a variety of assets, where the transponder 10 can be placed in a variety of electronic devices, money bags (in the case of banks), luggage, transportation products, automobiles, retail goods, and so forth. In addition, the transponder may be used for flexible (soft) criminal tracking, where the criminal does not require ankle monitoring, but rather wears government issued shoes or other items containing the transponder 10 for monitoring the criminal's movements, if necessary.

For footwear in particular, the transponder 10 may be fixed in the sole, placed in or under the insole, or incorporated in the tongue, toe region, or other suitable part of the shoe, and will have a life equal to or greater than the "wearable" life of ordinary footwear. Because such a self-contained battery transponder 10 is activated only when the receiver 50 sends a signal in order to generate a unique code path, as will be further explained below, it will be appreciated that energy or power consumption is minimized and, therefore, battery life is greatly extended, thereby making the transponder 10 as a whole longer than the shoe or other item on which the transponder 10 is mounted. The passive hardware of the transponder 10 essentially comprises a relatively small microprocessor as described above, a transceiver, a memory device separate from or incorporated in the microprocessor for storing a small amount of authentication data, in particular a transponder code, and a battery. In further embodiments, although the battery may be rechargeable by various means now known or later developed, including but not limited to recharging by self-generated energy (e.g., vibrational energy) generated by the movement of the transponder 10 as the transponder 10 travels with an object. It should also be noted that in the event that after a period of time the child is found dead or rotting or the transponder 10 is not powered or decaying and the subject is unidentifiable, one can look at the "tracked" shoe so that the police can locate the receiver 50 and thus determine the nearest relative. Thus, the invention will have application to persons who are lost or are afraid of dying, as the effective shoe and thus the transponder 10 will eventually decay. Another related aspect is configuring the transmitter to activate or initiate communication with the receiver when certain conditions are met, such as when the transponder breaches an already set boundary (i.e., the tracked object exceeds a selected safe distance) or the transponder is submerged (e.g., when a child falls into a swimming pool or other body of water). Again, in any such application, the transponder 10 may also be a stand-alone device, simply enclosed around the neck or placed in a pocket or bag of a person (e.g., a child, an elderly person or a soldier or law enforcement, pet or livestock) or placed on or with an object to be monitored or tracked, according to aspects of the present invention.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, there is again shown an overall schematic diagram of the system and method for tracking loss of the present invention, and in particular of the "triangulation" method used in the exemplary embodiment. The precise location (distance and direction away from the receiver 50) of the transponder 10 can be determined based on triangulation between the receiver 50, the transponder 10, and the closest satellite or broadcast tower (more generally representing the webcast site 60) relative to the geographic location of the receiver 50, and knowing the receiver's location 50 based on its inherent GPS functionality.

As a matter of threshold, it is pointed out that "triangulation", as this term is used in the present invention, describes the general method outlined above, by which the precise spatial position (coordinates) of the transponder 10 relative to the receiver 50 can be determined knowing two fixed points in space (the position of the GPS-equipped receiver 50 and the network's broadcast station 60) and knowing the angular position of the transponder 10 relative to said network's broadcast station 60 — that is, with valid information about two sides and one angle, other data about a triangle containing three sides and three vertices or corners, including the spatial position of the third vertex (representing the transponder 10), can be geometrically determined. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that "triangulation," as that term is used in the present invention, specifically excludes "geotriangulation," which, as a subject or technique of geodetic science, studies the shape of the earth and determines the precise location of a geographic location and thus the branches of geodetic science involving terrain surveying or mapping are in fact precursor reactions to geodetic GPS technology, while having been largely replaced by geodetic GPS technology.

In particular, geotriangulation is a technique by which physical mass data or markers on the surface of the earth are used as fixed reference points from which angle measurements can be made to then fix or determine other points, as is well known in the art of measuring small dimensions. As such, recently, GPS functionality to determine physical location based on satellite data has begun to make traditional geotriangulation obsolete. By comparison, as such, the "triangulation" method of the present invention is not outdated by GPS technology, but instead employs the GPS functionality of a cellular telephone or the like to fix a first reference point by which to then geometrically determine the location of the missing person, pet, or thing, along with a satellite or broadcast tower as a second reference point, as a third reference point transponder. It will be appreciated that by utilizing the GPS functionality of a cellular telephone or the like, and configuring such a telephone with the necessary software for activation and synchronization with a transponder and then for use in calculating the location of the transponder relative to the cellular telephone, there is disclosed a system and method by which the advantages of current GPS functionality can be taken without the cost, size and power requirements of the GPS transceiver in the transponder 10 or the GPS transceiver being worn on or placed with the person, pet or thing being tracked. Thus, it will be appreciated that the system and method of the present invention is more conducive to a wide range of commercialization.

In summary, with respect to the exemplary system and method for tracking lost objects of the present invention as used in connection with a transponder-receiver set, it should be appreciated that such a transponder 10 is provided for either stand-alone use or for installation on or in an article of clothing, such as a shoe, and is configured to work in conjunction with a GPS-enabled receiver 50 (e.g., a cellular telephone or the like) to track and determine the location of the transponder 10, and thus the location of a person or lost pet or other item. Thus, the receiver 50, by means of GPS functionality or the like in combination with software resident in the receiver 50 and the delay in the transponder 10 broadcasting the signal of the beacon 60 through the network, can determine its precise location and thus the location of the transponder 10, without having to separately equip the transponder 10 with a GPS transceiver or the like. Thus, the system and method of the present invention can take a variety of forms to conveniently and efficiently determine the location of an object without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It should be noted that the various features of each of the above embodiments may be combined in any logical manner and are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. It will be further appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not limited to the particular geometries and fabrication materials disclosed, but that other functionally equivalent structures, now known or later developed, may also be supported without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, while certain aspects of the present invention have been described with reference to at least one exemplary embodiment, it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention should be construed only in conjunction with the appended claims, and the inventors herein believe that the claimed subject matter is the invention.

Claims (23)

1. A method for monitoring and tracking the position of an object, the method comprising:

installing software in a GPS-enabled receiver for communicating with a transponder, the transponder being co-located with the object; and

triangulating the geographic location of the transponder by:

fixing a first reference point based on a location of the GPS enabled receiver;

fixing a second reference point based on a location of a webcast site through which the receiver and the transponder communicate; and

calculating a position of the transponder based on an angular position of the transponder relative to the network broadcast station;

thereby, the position of the transponder and thus the object being monitored and tracked can be determined without having to configure the transponder with GPS functionality.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the transponder as a standalone device that can be carried on or by the subject.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising embedding the transponder within an article worn by the subject.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a unique transponder code in the receiver; and

synchronizing the transponder with the receiver based on the unique transponder code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiver is configured to store a plurality of transponder codes to synchronize with and monitor and track a plurality of transponders with a single receiver.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that said step of storing a unique transponder code in said receiver comprises the further steps of: the transponder code is manually entered into the receiver.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the steps of storing a unique transponder code in the receiver and synchronizing the transponder with the receiver comprises the further steps of: automatically acquiring the transponder code from the transponder in a pairing sequence between the receiver and the transponder.

8. The method according to claim 4, comprising the further step of: the transponder is selectively remotely activated.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of selectively remotely activating said transponder comprises the further steps of: inputting the transponder code into the receiver.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of selectively remotely activating said transponder comprises the further steps of:

inputting a defined perimeter boundary into the receiver as a maximum allowable distance of the transponder from the receiver; and

automatically activating the transponder when the transponder exceeds the prescribed perimeter boundary.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of automatically activating said transponder further comprises the steps of:

comparing the distance of the transponder from the receiver to the prescribed perimeter boundary; and

if the transponder exceeds the prescribed perimeter boundary, a user of the receiver is appropriately notified.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of: displaying on the receiver the distance and direction of the transponder away from the receiver so as to guide a user in the direction of the transponder.

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of: displaying data on the receiver corresponding to the location of the transponder illustrated on a map.

14. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of: displaying on the receiver navigational coordinates or directions of the transponder relative to the receiver.

15. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of: each sequence of communications between the receiver and the transponder is recorded to create a record of the actual coordinates of the transponder at a given point in time and thereby a record of the movement of the transponder and hence the object being tracked.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: the network tracking sequence is selectively activated by transmitting the transponder code to other subscribing receivers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of selectively activating said network tracking sequence further comprises the steps of: the network tracking sequence is selected by other subscribing receivers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of selecting the network tracking sequence occurs once at software installation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of selecting the tracenetwork sequence occurs each time the tracenetwork sequence is activated.

20. A method for monitoring and tracking the position of an object, the method comprising configuring software for installation in a GPS-enabled receiver to communicate with a remote transponder co-located with the object and triangulating the geographic position of the transponder by fixing a first reference point based on the position of the GPS-enabled receiver, fixing a second reference point based on the position of a webcast site through which the receiver and transponder communicate, and calculating the position of the transponder based on its angular position relative to the webcast site, whereby the position of the transponder and hence the position of the object being monitored and tracked can be determined without configuring the transponder to have GPS functionality.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the software is further configured to display data on the receiver corresponding to the location of the transponder illustrated on a map.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the software is further configured to record a plurality of data sets corresponding to the position of the transponder over time, thereby creating a record of actual coordinates of the transponder at a given point in time, and thereby creating a record of motion of the transponder and thus the object being tracked.

23. A system for monitoring and tracking the position of an object, the system comprising:

a transponder configured to be co-located with the object; and

means for enabling communication between the transponder and a remote GPS-enabled receiver for selectively triangulating the location of the transponder by:

fixing a first reference point based on a position of the receiver;

fixing a second reference point based on a location of a webcast site through which the receiver and the transponder communicate; and

calculating a position of the transponder based on an angular position of the transponder relative to the network broadcast station;

thereby, the position of the transponder and thus the position of the object being monitored and tracked can be determined without configuring the transponder to be GPS-enabled.